As the Angels Fall
by crazed spyromaniac
Summary: Ed goes to save Spike, but inadverntaly saves two others, meaniwhile dragging the remaining Bebop members into the internal Syndicate battle.


**As the Angels Fall**

_Chapter One:_

_Naivety's Grace_

Disclaimer: I do not own Bebop.

Ed clambered up the cold, gray stone steps that she watched Spike-person climb only moments before. The spray of gunfire echoed loudly in her ears, reminding her of the asteroids that crashed into earth's rutted surface. Quietly, she snuck into the shadows of the looming chappel, and waited for Ein to follow. The small dog gently jumped over the steps, his ears standing straight up and his bright eyes scanning the body littered entry way.

Ed heard a soft moan coming from the stairs, and her inquisitive eyes glanced toward the bloodied staircase. Ein silently nipped at her heel, and cautiously she walked up the broad staircase, careful not to step in the pools of blood that surrounded limp bodies of Syndicate members that never had the chance to survive. Ein ran up to a dark haired man, who was clutching his leg in agony. Ein nudged him with his nose, and the man groaned from the wet nose pressed up against his face.

Ed ran to the man, and peered down at his face. He was young, and she felt that she had seen him before, but said nothing. From her back she pulled her Tomato and quickly hacked into the Bebop ship. This man was different from the rest; she could feel it. Satisfied that the Bebop would be on its way to her as soon as it could, Ed quickly knelt down to see how badly hurt the man was. Startled when the man cracked open a bleary eye, she jumped backwards, nearly falling down the staircase.

"Who are you?" he whispered, so quietly even Ein strained to hear it.

"I am Ed-person. Are you friend of Spike-person?"

"Spike-person? Yes... I am, but what are you doing here?"

"Ed went looking for father-person, but Ed could not find him. So, Ed went to find Bebop, but no one was there and Faye-Faye left for Earth along time ago. Ed hacked into Spike-person's ship and here I am!"

"You shouldn't be here; it's far to dangerous for you. This is the falling of the Syndicate," the man trailed off, realizing the naive child probably understood little of what he was trying to explain to her.

"Syndicate?" Ed cocked her head to the side in confusion, before continuing, "Oh well, it matters very little. Spike-person in trouble; Ed here to help him."

Silently cursing Spike for failing to mention to his friends about his past, the man said, "Um, Ed, would you be willing to help me?"

"Of course, Ed will help Spike-person's friend!" Ed responded brightly as she held her hand out to the injured man in front of her.

Grunting, the man heaved himself up into a sitting position, his left hand pressing against his stomach. Small trickles of blood slipped from a bullet wound Ed had not seen, and instantly she pushed him back down. From her bag, she quickly pulled out some gauze and anti-septic. She wrapped the wound quickly, just enough so he wouldn't bleed out any longer.

Ed turned and saw white haired man walk briskly into a room. She shushed Ein and turned to the man once more. The man's eyes widened as he realized Vicious was only few feet ahead of him and the child. If he so much as turned around and saw them, then they were both to be killed; he was not willing to have an innocent be killed in a battle that did not concern her.

Luckily for the two, Vicious did not turn around, and went on his way to face Spike. The final fight for the power of a dying Syndicate was about to commence. Groaning the man sat up again, this time pulling Ed down to where he sat.

"Ed, you need to leave. This is no place for you. Leave me here, and leave this place," the man hissed.

Ed stared at him with wide eyes, before shaking her head slowly. She helped him into a standing position, and slowly the pair made their way down the stairs. An eternity seemed to pass, and all the while both Ein and the man apprehensively watched for any sign of danger. They were near the doors, when the rumbling of a ship shook the rickety building. No one rushed to the double doors to peer and see what would cause the noise, and Ed grinned broadly.

She pushed through the doors and the man saw a large beat up ship waiting for some one to board it. Ed dragged the man to one of the open entry hatches and pulled him onto the ship. A beautiful, busty violet haired beauty stumbled groggily into the hatch area, her gun in drawn and pointed at the three.

"Ed?" she asked surprised, and slowly lowering the gun, until she saw who Ed was clinging to. "Who are you?"

"I'm Shin. You're friend seems to have decided to help me."

"I see. You're a Syndicate member, aren't you?"

Shin nodded weakly, and felt himself nearly be dropped. Ed's arms trembled from the strain of holding his body up. Faye noticed this, and briskly walked to them. Gently she pushed Ed away from Shin, and helped him move through the steel ship.

"JET! We have company," Faye screamed, before turning to Ed, "What are you doing here, Ed?"

"Father-person did not want Ed. Spike-person was in trouble, so Ed decided to help. Faye-Faye, Spike-person does not have much time left," Ed said, her eyes wide.

Faye glanced between Ed and Shin, and noticed for the first time how much Ed appeared to have grown up in the short time she had left them. Jet hobbled from the kitchen, the cane clicking loudly against the metal.

"Faye, put him on the couch. He's bleeding all over the Bebop."

Faye obliged and placed Shin on the tacky yellow couch, before turning to Jet. Jet nodded his head and went to tend to his newest patient. Faye ran back to her room, and two soft clicks echoed in the silent ship. She emerged again, this time toting several guns. She tossed one to Ed, who stared at it.

"Ed does not want to go back inside, Faye-Faye."

"Ed, I know you know how to shoot a gun. You need to help me, and bring that laptop of yours with you. Lunkhead needs to be saved one last time."

"But Faye-Faye.."

"Come on, Ed. There isn't much time left."

With that the pair were gone, and left Jet and Shin alone. Jet peeled away the hasty bandage and went about the tedious task of helping the Syndicate member before him. Neither spoke, as both waited anxiously for the girls to return with news or the body of their friend.

Faye edged through the lobby, her large green eyes wide and alert, dully noting the massacred Red Dragon Syndicate. Ed followed somberly behind her, as they traveled the black-maroon stairs once more. Ed reached for the elevator, but Faye shook her head, and tugged on her sleeve. Together the pair moved up the second set of stairs, moving hastily and cautiously.

A loud shot rang out through the empty room, and Faye broke into a run. Ed followed, her heart beating against her chest as she heard the loud clatter of metal falling to the floor following the gun-shot.

Spike stumbled down the stairs, his ragged brown jacket punctured with rusted holes and tears. His hand folded across the large slice through his chest and stomach. His head ached, and there was a dull roar of noise, although the room was silent. He thought he saw Faye run toward him, and the kid following close behind, but he was unsure. He felt himself falling through the air, and he raised his arm and pointed it down the chapel stairs.

"Bang," his whispered, his dry mouth struggling to say his last word.

Spike collapsed on the stairs, the blood pooling around him slowly, almost as if it did not want to leave his body. Faye ran to Spike, and gently turned him over, her green eyes filled with unshed tears. She pushed his coarse hair from his rapidly paling ghostly face, and carassed his cheek. Spike's mismatched unseeing eyes stared at her, or perhaps beyond her, and a small smirk graced his lips.

Pulling herself up, she grasped Spike's body close to her. Nodding at Ed, who was staring at the two, she hurriedly ran out of the room, ignoring the few remaining Syndicate member's weak protests. She ignored Spike's warm blood flowing against her icy skin and staining her yellow suit. The room and its occupants swirled around her, like she was in a dream until she found herself struggling to open the door of the Bebop. Her mind screamed at her, and her body ached from being forced into too much stress. Jet stood at the hatch, his arms crossed, and the medicine man standing at his side.

Not questioning why the man was here, or why Jet had brought him to the Bebop, she pulled Ed with her and Spike into the ship. The medicine man motioned for Faye to lay Spike on the floor, and she obliged. She stood over him for a moment, only to realize that Jet was gently pulling her away from the scene before her. Ed watched for a moment with sorrow-filled eyes, before turning and following the others out.

Shin struggled to sit on the couch, but the pain in his stomach and leg, forced him to lay back down. He saw Faye, her shell-shocked expression and blood stained clothes and knew. Sighing audibly, and just loud enough for Faye to hear him, he turned to watch Spike's new friends glance toward the room Spike undoubly lay in.

Ed popped up next to him, pointing a small finger at him, with her dog nudging her leg.

"Ed knew a man just like you."

"Just like me?"

"Uh-huh. Just like you and Spike-person. He was Lin-person."

AN: Review!


End file.
